Counter-balance for grain-separators



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

G; M. GILBERT. GOUNTBRBALANGE FOR GRAIN SEPARATORS.

No. 368,940. Patented'Aug. so, 1887.

N, PETERS. Photo-Lilhngnphen Washinllm DJ;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEO CHARLES M. GILBERT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

COUNTER-BALANCE FOR GRAIN-SIEPARATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,940, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed January .28, 1887. Serial No. 225,500. (No model.)

specification.

My invention relates to grain separating machines which employ vibrating sieves; and the object of the invention is the providing of an adjustable counter-balance forpreventing unnecessary shaking of the entire machine; and the invention consists in the devices and combinations hereinafterfully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The improvements are illustrated in the ac companying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a grain-separator provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged'view of a portion of the side of the machine containing the improvements. Fig. 3 is a detached rear view of the counter-balance devices, showing their connection with the machine shaft and frame. Fig. 4is adetail of the counter-balance; and

. Figs. 5 and 6 are frontand side views, respectively, of the hanger for pivoting the counterbalance lever.

'A A in the drawings represent the posts of the machine-frame.

B and B are respectively the fan-case and wind-trunk. p

O and G are the upper,sieves,to which grain is fed from the hopper Ofland which serve the former to remove coarse substances-such as straws, sticks, &c.and the latter to screen outsmall seeds, sand, &c.

G" is a distributing-box receiving the grain from the sieve O and delivering it to the lower sieves within the casing a.

b b are cant-boards for directing. the grain received from the lower sieves to a wind-trunk.

The lower sieves are reciprocated independently of the casing or box containing them by means of the frames D outside of the casing,

to which frames the sieves are connected through slots a in the casing, and an eccentric on the shaker-shaft s vibrates the frames D and the upper sieves, O O, by means of the eccentric-rods e e and e.

To avoid unnecessary vibration of the machine being caused by the sieve reciprocations, there is provided the counterbalanceweight G, carried by the pivoted bar 9, which is attached to the eccentric on the shaft s. The shaker-shaft s is journaled in a hanger, h, secured to the middle post, A.

F F are respectively the upper and lower halves constituting the eccentric strap or sheave,which is fixed about a portion, 8, of the shafts, the axis of which portion is eccentric to that of the main part of the shaft. The strap is provided with suitable bosses, f, for attaching the rods 6 e e,and from the lower portion, F, of the strap depends the bar g. A suitable distance below the eccentric the bar 9 is pivoted on a pivot, i, which is supported by a bracket, 70, bolted to the post A. Preferably this bracket is a straight plate having flanges k, fitting over the edges of the post, and having the pivot i standing at a right angle from its face and cast integrally with the plate. The pivot '2' extends through a rectangular opening, 0, in the bar and is journaled in a box, t, which is loose in the opening, and is capable of sliding lengthwise with the bar. Plates 0 are inserted in the opening 0, to serve as guides for the box it, and may be adjusted relatively to the box by the set-screws d. Near the base of the pivot z is a shouldered square portion, 1;, to receive a washer, w, and the head of the pivot is a similar, but correspondingly smaller, square portion,o, to receive the washer w. The exposed end of the pivot is threaded, as shown at o, to receive the nut n. The several parts are thus securely held in place without interfering with the vibratory niovementof the counterbalance-lever. Thus, also, while the pivot it operates as a fulcrum for the lever-bar g, longitudinal movement of the bar corresponding with the eccentric throws is permitted.

The weight G is adjustable along the lever "g by means of a set-screw, m, and can be regulated, as required, to counterbalance the sieves and the varying load they carry.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact forms of construction of the counter-balance and devices for operating it shown and described, for it is obvious that many modifications may be made to serve the same purpose in substantially the same way.

The improvements are illustrated in connection with a construction of machine which is the subject-matter of an application for Letters Patent filed by me December 9, 1886, No. 221,081, and I desire to claim in said prior application all patentable subject-matter so shown and described and not herein specifically claimed.

\Vhat I herein claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with reciprocating sieves, of a shaft and eccentric for reciprocating a counter-balance, a lever carrying the counter-balance and connected to said eccentric, and a fulcrum for said lever intermediate of said counter balance and eccentric and adapted to permit lengthwise as well as oscillatory movement of the lever.

2. Ina grain-separator, in combination with sets of sieves, an intermediate shaft, an eccentric thereon for reciprocating said sieves, and a pivoted counter-balance connected with said eccentric aboveits pivotal point, whereby said counterbalance is operated to vibrate simultai1eouslywith,but in direction opposite to,the sieve reciprocations, substantially as set forth. 3. In a separator, the combination,with the shaker'shaft, of the sieves, an eccentric for reciprocating the sieves, an adjustable counterbalance connected by a bar with said eccentric, a pivot for said bar, and a journal-bearing for said pivot,whieh permits longitudinal as well as oscillatory movement of the bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the sieve-frame and the shaker'shaft of aseparating'machine, of an eccentric, a bar attached thereto and carrying an adjustable Weight, afixed pivot for said bar, and a sliding box in an opening in said bar forsaid pivot,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination,with the shaft 8, having eccentric portion 8, of the strap F F, the bar g, carrying the adjustable Weight G, the pivot 1', the box ttherefor in the opening 0 of said bar, the guides e, and ad justing-screws d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the counterbalance-lever 9, provided with the sliding box it, of the pivot i, having shouldered square portions 2) o and threaded end 1;, and the washers w w, and nut u, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The eccentric-strap, for the purpose set forth, comprising the parts F and F, provided with the bosses f, and having the counterbalance-lever g, cast integrally with the part v F of said strap.

CHARLES M. GILBERT. \Vitnesses:

\V. B. 131331;, I II. GUNCKEL. 

